I know why the River Runs
by Mirialdo
Summary: A chance meeting between the onceGeneral of OZ and the former pilot of Deathscythe turns out to be more than either expected...Yaoi Implied..let the reader beware


Part I: Treize\Duo Series

Part I: Treize\Duo Series

Title:I Know Why The River Runs 

Disclaimer: I do not own GW, Treize or Duo.. Lyrics belong to Julie Miller.. not me.. 

Warnings: Implied Yaoi, Angst, 

Pairings: 13+2 ,6+1 , (Implied 6+13, Implied 1+2)

~*I know why the River runs*~

When I reach to hold you I'll still be alone

When I hear the ringing of the telephone

I'll think it is you

It will not be true

I know why the river runs

To a place somewhere far away

I know why the sky is cryin'

When there aren't any words to say

I could play the message that you left for me

I can hear your voice and I could still believe

That you will soon be home

But you will never come

I know why the river runs

To a place somewhere far away

I know why the sky is cryin'

When there aren't any words to say

There's a silence that I don't want to hear

There's a hole now where my heart used to be

They say that healing comes in time

But I don't know what that means

I lie here for so long

But you will never come

I know why the river runs

To a place somewhere far away

I know why the sky is cryin'

When there aren't any words to say~

Duo set the timer on the explosive that would collapse the old worn building down and then looked up to see someone walking towards it. "Hey!" he shouted. The man paid no attention. "Hey! Get away from there!" Still no sign he heard him. He swore and looked down at the control for the explosive. Damn, he couldn't turn it off now. That left one other option since the company he worked for now frowned on work-related deaths. Running fast towards the guy he pulled him away from the building and then listened as the explosives went off and the building groaned once and collapsed in on itself. 

Wincing at the noise, he turned back to look at the guy he had pulled out of the way. And noticed that the man wasn't paying the least bit attention to the ruckus happening behind them. Aw...shit, he thought as he watched the older man straighten his clothes out. No wonder he didn't hear me. "Gomen sir. I didn't realize you were..." he stalled not exactly sure why he was saying this to a guy who couldn't hear him. 

The man smiled faintly at him and shook his head. "Deaf? That's alright.." 

"You could hear me?" Duo asked surprised. 

The stranger laughed softly, a pleasant tenor sound. "Now that we are closer, yes. I have to say my hearing on my left side is shot, and my right isn't very much better." Duo gave him a weak smile and then the man tilted his head slightly watching him for a moment before speaking. "I don't think much of anything on my left side works very well now days. I was sort of in a bad accident during the war." 

Duo studied him silently trying to place the strange feeling of having heard the man's voice before and then shrugged it off. "You fought in the war?" 

The older man nodded and glanced down as if something had upset him and then glanced back up at him. "If I recall right you did as well. I think I saw you once before on a broadcast during the war. You were captured or something, correct?" 

Duo nodded slowly watching the older man. "What's your name?" he asked curious, maybe that nagging feeling would go away once he knew the guy's name. 

The older man smiled again, but this time the smile seemed slightly saddened. "Would you mind if I treated you to a meal for saving my life before I told you?" the man asked softly. 

Duo glanced at his watch, then back at the guy. It was near time for him to get off work, no one would notice if he left a few minutes early. Giving the older man a grin he nodded. "Sure, why not?" 

The stranger's smile brightened slightly at his cheerful attitude. "Why not indeed. Ever been to a restaurant called Shay's?" he asked. 

Duo's eyes widened slightly at the mention of the nicest restaurant the L3 colony X132 had. "Once.. You sure you can afford it? I mean you don't even know me." 

The older man laughed softly. It was a pleasant sound, Duo thought as he watched the man collected himself and get his breath back. "Yes...I can afford it, besides I feel I owe you something." he said, smiling again at him. They began walking away from the site towards the end of town where the restaurant was. Halfway there the older man stopped and then sat down on one of the side walk benches not far from where they were now. "Mind if we take a cab the rest of the way?" he asked as he rested.

Duo shook his head. "Nah, I don't mind. I'll hail one and come back and get you if you want." The other man nodded and smiled faintly at him as he turned to walk to the street and got the attention of the first cab that drove by. He turned to get the guy and then jumped back slightly when he saw him standing right behind him. "You sneaked up on me." he accused him with a small grin, teasing. 

The man bowed his head slightly. "Gomen Nasai." he said softly. 

Duo shook his head and opened the door for him. "I was just teasing, don't worry about it." They both climbed into the cab and he glanced at the guy as the cab made its way further downtown towards Shay's. The man's whole left temple and neck was a web work of scars. Some were fine white lines others were somewhat meaner looking. Whatever accident the guy had been in it had to be a pretty bad one to leave that kind of scarring behind. The cab stopped and he climbed out holding the door for his new friend....wait a minute...*friend?* He shrugged it off and then noticed that he was having a slight problem getting himself out of the cab. Without thinking he offered his hand and helped the guy out. The man thanked him and then turned and paid the driver. 

Turning to face the restaurant, he grinned up at the guy. "Last chance to chose something a little less pricey." he teased. The man laughed softly and shook his head before walking slowly up to the door and holding it open for him. He noticed then as they walked into the building the strange gait the other man seemed to have. It wasn't exactly like a limp, but it wasn't normal either. He watched the guy speak to the waiter that came to see them and then followed to the table the waiter showed them. Sitting down he put the thought from his mind, it wasn't that important at the moment. He picked up one of the menus sitting on the table and glanced through it his eyes lighting up as he saw something. "I can't believe they serve that here.." he said with a grin. 

"Serve what?" the other man asked him glancing at him from his own menu. 

"Fried Ice cream. Believe me its great stuff." 

The other man raised an eyebrow slightly. "They can fry ice cream?" he said with a hint of disbelief.

Duo snickered at his expression. "Nah.. they don't really *fry* the ice cream.. that's just what they call it. They make it with French vanilla ice cream and cover it with a sort of a cinnamon, sugar, and brown sugar shell. Then its top with your choice of sauces, personally I think the fudge is the best and then there's the whipped cream and cherry. The whole thing rests on a sort of baked flat tortilla coated in cinnamon and sugar." he finished and licked his lips slightly. 

"Ah...sounds interesting." the man said smiling at him again. 

"Does that mean we can order one?" he said hopefully watching him. 

"You can have whatever you want.." came the reply as the waiter walked back to their table. His new friend looked up at the waiter and nodded once in response to the waiter's unspoken query. "I'll have a garden salad, chicken breast and water." He glanced at Duo. 

Duo glanced through the menu again and then closed it. "I guess I'll have the Rib eye, medium well,a baked potato and tea." There was a raised eyebrow again.

"No ice cream?"

Duo grinned and shook his head. "Nah, not at the moment. Want to make sure I have room for it before I order it." He received a nod of approval it seemed and the waiter left to return moments later with their drinks and leaving once more. He mixed in sugar before drinking and noticed the man watching a couple across from them. He glanced over and tried to figure out what he was watching them for and then heard him sigh softly turning his attention away. He decided to take a wild guess at what was bothering him. "You could of ordered some wine if you wanted to. I've drunk wine before." 

The man smiled and shook his head. "No.. I've found out the hard way liquor and pills don't mix well." he said taking a small prescription bottle out of his coat. He opened it, shaking out a small capsule, before putting the bottle away. "Medicine, it's a pain in the ass, but if I don't take it I can kiss walking good bye. So I said my good byes to drinking, since wine and these don't mix at all well."

Duo nodded in understanding. Taking a sip of tea he watched as the guy took the small pill and then sigh softly again turning to glance at something else. The nagging feeling was back again, he could swear he should know him from someplace but couldn't think of where. He watched him silently and then noted something he hadn't seen before, most likely because the whole time he had been with him so far he'd only seen the left side of his face which hid the very thing that gave the man's identity away. Duo swore softly and the man turned to glance back at him. Sapphire locked onto violet, as Duo finally found his voice. Only two people he knew of had eyebrow's like this guy had. One of those two was supposed to be twelve years dead. "You're that General aren't you? Treize Khushrenada?!" he hissed softly.

The sapphire eyes seemed to dim and the man lowered his head as if in defeat. Duo barely heard him speak, the tenor voice was so low and soft. "Hai.. Are you going to stay now?" 

The uncertainty and sad hurt in the tone made him pause and he sighed. "No.. I'm not going to leave." He glanced down at his hands and then finally sighed again before looking up at the once general. "I'm sorry for reacting the way I did, the war's over and I had no reason to react as hostile as I did." He watched the older man sitting across from him silently for a few moments before speaking again trying to get the man out of the sudden depression he seemed to have caused him. "Anyway it doesn't really matter anymore, we came here to eat so lets eat and forget about the past for now, ne?" 

Eyes flicked up to glance at him as the other man straightened up and then took a small drink off water. "Thank you, but you seem to have me at a disadvantage now. You now know my name but I know nothing of you save that you were a Gundam pilot and flew the Gundam known as 02." 

Duo grinned at him trying to get him cheered up some before he spoke. It worked some and he snickered softly. "Duo. Duo Maxwell. I may run and hide, but I never tell a lie. That's me in a nutshell." he said and then smiled again at Treize as he smiled faintly back at him. 

Their meal arrived after that and they both ate in silence until after they had finished. Duo glanced up at the older man and then leaned back slightly in his seat. "Anyone else know you're living here?" he asked quietly. 

Treize nodded and sighed softly. "Yes.. my cousin.. she was the one who found me several years ago. She told Lady Une.. who set me up here since I decided not to risk returning to earth. She brings Mari.. my daughter up for visits.." a small smile graced his lips for a moment. "I tried to contact an old friend.. but found he had moved on.." the small smile faded and Treize looked down at the table. 

Duo watched him for a moment before speaking. "I know how that is.. I have a bet for you.. let me guess the name of your friend and if I get it right we can get together for dinner sometime again." 

Treize looked up at him and tilted his head slightly watching him. "You would..?" he paused and then nodded slightly. "Alright.. then but if you do get it right I'd like you to come to my place instead of this place.. if you get it wrong you can fix the dinner." A small smile lit the blue eyes as he spoke. 

Duo grinned for a moment. "Alright.. I hope I get it right then because I might end up killing us both if I attempt to cook any kind of a big fancy meal." he then paused for a moment before continuing. "His name wouldn't happen to be Zechs would it?" 

The change was startling. The face fell for a moment before what he could tell was a mask came up to hide the hurt he had seen for a split second. He knew how he felt though and sighed softly. "Sorry... " he began, but was interrupted by a shake of the head. 

"It's not your fault.. besides.. I thought I was over it.. " 

"I don't think its easy.. I.. I know how much it hurts.. " he drank the last of his tea to cover the awkward silence and then forced a smile. " Anyway.. when do you want to meet again.. since I was right?" he said trying to lighten the mood. 

It worked it seemed because the mask faded somewhat and a little life came back into the older man. "Next week is good for me if that's alright by you.." 

"Next week sounds good. Thank you for dinner, this was much better than the cold sandwich I had planned." he said as the waiter came by to lay the bill on the table and take away their plates. 

"Your welcome.. Duo." 


End file.
